Overview & Reviews

Volkswagen is an automaker based in Germany. Its products typically command a higher price than those of competing models, but the return is a more upscale driving and ownership experience.

In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to build a small, inexpensive car at the request of Adolph Hitler. His answer -- a beetle-shaped sedan that was called a Volkswagen (German for "people's car") -- debuted two years later. Hitler had a town built near the plant for factory workers; he named it Kraft durch Freude Stadt (derived from the Nazi party's motto, "Joy through Strength"), and soon decided that Porsche's creation should be named the KdF-wagen (short for the "Joy through Strength" car). This upset Porsche, who was not political.

World War II delayed production of the vehicle; the factory suffered extensive damage during combat, and was ultimately taken over by the British Army. The company was renamed Volkswagen, and the town at the factory was renamed Wolfsburg (after Werner von Schulenberg of Wolfsburg, who had been forced to surrender his land for the construction of the town and factory). By the end of the 1940s, mass production of the Volkswagen Beetle had begun. The model made its first appearance on U.S. shores in 1949.

The 1950s saw Volkswagen broadening its product range, adding the Bus (Type 2) to its lineup. The Bus, especially, proved quite popular due to its versatility. And the Beetle, which went on to become the best-selling car of all time, quickly showed signs of being an enduring favorite, with more than 1 million models produced at the Wolfsburg factory by 1955. This decade also saw the debut of the Karmann Ghia sports car, which featured a sleek, Italian-designed two-seater body atop a Beetle platform.

Volkswagen's star rose during the 1960s, its success fueled largely by the breakout success of the Beetle. The car benefited from an effective advertising campaign and from an appearance in a popular Disney movie. By the close of the decade, Volkswagen's yearly output of Beetles topped the 1 million mark.

In 1972, with more than 15 million units assembled, the Beetle topped the world production record set by Ford's Model T. Mid-decade saw the launch of a new era of Volkswagens that had front-mounted, water-cooled engines driving the front wheels. The Passat (Dasher in the U.S.) was the first of the new breed and was built using standardized components that could be used interchangeably among other models in the manufacturer's lineup. The Passat was soon joined by the Golf (Rabbit in the U.S.), which met with immediate success. By the end of the decade, the manufacturer's lineup had grown to include the Scirocco sport coupe and the performance-oriented Golf/Rabbit GTI. The Beetle, however, was discontinued for the U.S. market.

The Golf grew in popularity during the '80s, becoming Volkswagen's most popular model. When a second generation of the car was built in 1983, it was crafted in a mostly automated process using robots -- marking the first time robots had been used in vehicle manufacture. By the mid-'80s, the U.S. version traded the Rabbit name for "Golf." The higher-performance Golf GTI helped the manufacturer make waves on the rally circuit. In 1986, Volkswagen Motorsport nabbed the title of Group A World Rally Champions.

Volkswagen saw its sales in the North American market tumble during the early '90s, but by the end of the decade, refocused marketing efforts and an increased emphasis on new products had brought about a turnaround in the company's fortunes. The popular New Beetle helped put the company back on the radar in the United States (though it fared less successfully in European markets). The body style was based on the classic Beetle, and it struck a chord with consumers who still had a place in their hearts for the iconic, cheerful-looking "love bug."

The new millennium saw Volkswagen moving into the luxury segment with the launch of the pricey Phaeton sedan and Touareg SUV. Though well-designed and executed, the Phaeton was a disappointment sales-wise, perhaps signaling unwillingness on the part of consumers to shell out premium dollars for a brand that lacks the cachet of established upscale names like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Luckily, Volkswagen has seen success with other vehicles in its lineup, which currently includes everything from family-oriented sedans to roomy SUVs. Today, the automaker enjoys a reputation for crafting vehicles that offer refined handling and upscale accommodations.

User Reviews:

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  good car so far - 2000 Volkswagen Golf
  By jsatt14 - September 11 - 10:46 am

  i havent had my car for too long but so far it has been great. its my first car and it has been good so far. gas milege is great went to pa about 300 miles from my house and only used alittle less than 3/4 a tank. its comfortable to drive, half the time i dont wanna get out of it. the down side is that the glove box broke and the main driverside switches barely work. i cant lock the doors with it and the windows dont always roll down when i use them. overall its a great car and hopefully it doesnt bring me alot of problems. id buy another one in the future.

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  Forever in Love or a Great Fit - 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By B. Donaldson - September 10 - 4:26 am

  I love my new Beetle, I bought one previously in 1973, I had it for fourteen years. When the new Beetle came out I was floored. I was totally, decidedly, definetely in love again. I drive about three hours a day both ways, Im comfortable. Setting the seat to fit is extremely easy, it still fits me perfectly. The front window is wide, and my other half, who is 62", drives it and hes able to set the seat to fit him width and leg length, he had to admit, it had more room then he imagined. The seats are awesome comfortable especially with the built in lumbar back. Id recommend the new Beetle to any and everyone, thanks for a great ride.

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  All I have to say is Excellent! - 2005 Volkswagen Passat
  By Angelia Neidhart - September 10 - 3:20 am

  I bought my car a few months ago and I think its the best investment I have ever made! This car is so easy to handle, has great power, comfortable, especially on long trips, great gas miles, and very good looking! Also very roomy inside. I love all the features. VW did a great job on this one! I love my car!

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  My first but not last VW - 2009 Volkswagen CC
  By Bob - September 9 - 6:00 am

  Bought this in Fall when my previous car started having engine problems. I was looking at comparing the Lux and VR6, but the deal was too good to pass up ($ off due to age of car). So I found this car that had all the features I wanted, for a great price and quality of German Engineering. I love how the seats hug my body while driving. The other nice feature is the back seat pass-though in the center. This feature allows 4 people and skis to comfortably fit in the car. The 60/40 split seats are also nice when transporting other larger items. My friend bought his Jetta TDI from this same place after enjoying the ride in my car. I hope this is still around when its time for a new car.

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  Great bargain german vehicle - 2010 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Michael - September 9 - 1:20 am

  I am pleasantly shocked at how much I like this car. I am coming out of a high power sport sedan and thought I would miss the power and handling. However, the Jetta handles as well as any of the three BMWs I have owned - almost as good as my M5. Torque steer is nonexistent. Pickup in sport mode is very good for an in-line 5 cylinder. I actually preferred the performance of the SE to the Wolfsberg edition (Turbo 4 and DSG tranny). I am very pleased at the performance results for such an affordable car. Interior build is pretty good. The touch screen audio controls make the interior pop. I wish it had more creature comforts, but for the money, I cannot complain.

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  A fun to drive minivan? Yes! - 2009 Volkswagen Routan
  By martsro - September 8 - 6:00 am

  Weve had our Routan for a little over a year and 21K miles later it is still fun to drive. So far we have not had any repairs other than the free scheduled maint. Have had several issues with the automatic doors not wanting to close. Very frustrating!! Factory Bridgestone tires are horrible. Will probably need to be replaced within the next 5K miles. 4.0 V6 has plenty of power. No trouble merging into highway traffic. Fuel economy isnt the greatest in town (16mpg). Average around 19 mpg in combined driving. Averaged 23 mpg on a trip from tx to in. Kids love it. Plenty of storage thanks to the in- floor storage. Tons of cup holders. Third-row seat is a little cramped, ok for kids.

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  Worst purchase of my entire life - 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle
  By Victoria - September 8 - 5:17 am

  I bought the car because it was cute, got good gas mileage, and I had always wanted one. Well, 3 years later and ive put around $22,000 into the car. First I started replacing minor things like the timing belt and the water pump, then the alternator, then the radiator, then the computer, then the air conditioning, but then i ended up replacing the engine, then the turbo, then the door, then the head gasket, then the transmission(as well as many many other things). This car has left me stranded on SO many occasions. Im fearful to even drive this death trap. Please save yourself the heart ache, do NOT buy an older model beetle. The only reason I have held on so long is because my grandfather keeps paying to get it fixed, but this is not an inexpensive quick fix car. It will NEVER end.

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  Fun to Drive, When not in the Shop! - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By Jon-Paul Herron - September 7 - 8:50 pm

  If it werent for the ridiculous and consistent reliability problems, I would be a VW owner for life. Ive had this car since it was brand new, and beginning within 6 months of buying the car, Ive had to have the car in for work at least once every 2 months. O2 sensors have been replaced 4 times. The Mass Airflow meter has been replaced twice. The middle seatbelt has gotten stuck twice. The floor mat clips broke 3 times. The electrical system has had numerous problems: the turn signal relay has broken, the radio mutes and has to be power cycled, the lights behind the AC controls have broken twice. I would love to love the VW, but the $2k+ per year to fix is unacceptable!

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  05 jetta in the desert - 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
  By joshkellerpa - September 7 - 5:24 pm

  I own an 05 VW jetta GL and a 05 vw bug. I dont know about later years or earlyer. But on my 05 jetta the crank pully has snaped off on its own. We have had to replace the water pump EVERY SUMMER.(hot weather area). I have gotten it replaced at a VW dealership for the majority. Now why did they never recomend to get the metal impeler? Why hasnt this model of water pump been recalled? We have gotten our engine rebuilt 2 times for a grand total of $10,000+. 1 of these engines was rebuilt at a VW dealershit. THEY LEFT SOME KIND OF AIR PUMP ON MY ENGINE. told me to bad thats were it goes. the second time by beatle barn las vegas and they gave me my car back in worse condition then b4 it blew.

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  May the Force be with You - 2000 Volkswagen Jetta
  By sharbi - September 7 - 10:00 am

  Vehicle purchased because Volkswagens reputation as producing a dependable car, & several items were standard, i.e. floor mats & power doors. NEVER buy a Volkswagen if it is a new design. My 2000 Jetta has been nothing but a headache - excessive oil consumption, broken pieces of plastic origin unknown, and the oxygen sensor light keeps illuminating. VW America refuses to stand behind its product, and Ganley, Inc is a dishonest operation. Both parties continue to pass the buck. If you are thinking about purchasing a Volkswagen, make sure you have another reliable vehicle to drive while you are waiting for the repairs to be made.